TTV Dhinakaran rules out AIADMK-AMMK merger, says ‘let’s wait and see’

Chennai: AMMK general secretary T T V Dhinakaran on Thursday said there was no proposal under consideration for AMMK’s merger with AIADMK, but did not rule out the possibility of a merger.

“Such an idea is being discussed on social media. But none of my party seniors has approached me with the proposal. Let’s wait and see,’’ Dhinakaran told reporters in Chennai when asked if there are plans to merge AMMK with AIADMK.

“In any case, I am with AIADMK in their alliance,’’ he said. Dhinakaran said his party would stand by AIADMK during difficult times. Dhinakaran reiterated AMMK’s commitment to the NDA, saying its alliance with BJP and AIADMK remained intact.

Taking a swipe at DMK allies, he accused several political parties’ leaders of shifting their positions for power and cabinet berths, under the pretext of preventing President’s Rule, claiming that they want to prevent the BJP’s entry into TN. “If I wanted to join hands with the ruling party, I could have done it. But I remained true to my alliance partners as their efforts aided our victory in one seat,” he said.

Targeting former AIADMK ministers who recently joined TVK, Dhinakaran said party functionaries should work with the leadership to rebuild after an electoral defeat instead of switching sides. “Many are joining the ruling party. They fail to realise that they, too, were among the reasons for the party’s defeat,” he said.

Referring to former ministers Udumalai Radhakrishnan and Kadambur C Raju, who were reportedly made to wait outside TVK’s headquarters for hours, Dhinakaran said, “I feel sorry for them.”

He also dismissed as “untrue” claims that AMMK functionaries from several districts had shifted en masse to TVK.